NYC’s Best New Sandwich is Vietnamese | On The Line | Bon Appétit

Quick Overview

Chef Nhu Ton, owner and executive chef of Bánh Anh Em in NYC, showcases the intricate, time-consuming Vietnamese culinary craftsmanship required to produce their signature Bánh Mì, which involves making components like crispy pork, pâté, and chili sauce from scratch, often requiring overnight proofing for the bread and extensive prep work for ingredients like fermented chili sauce.

Key Points: Chef Nhu Ton prepares Bánh Mì using house-made components, including roasting crispy pork (Thit Nuong) which requires careful preparation of the skin to ensure crispiness and moist meat. The bread dough requires overnight proofing (up to 9 hours) and is scored right before baking at a very high heat (500°F) to achieve a light, airy, and crispy texture. The restaurant's signature pâté is made using pork liver and other ingredients in a recipe developed over two years, differing from traditional French pâté by incorporating savory elements like fermented pork. The house-made chili sauce (Tương Ớt) involves fermenting bird's eye chilies for 6-8 months, a process Chef Nhu views as essential for the dish's unique flavor profile. The chef's team prepares Bánh Ướt Chồng (rice stack with grilled pork jowl) components, including grilling the pork jowl over charcoal for a smoky flavor. The kitchen operates on a demanding schedule, often requiring the chef to sleep at the restaurant due to the extensive preparation time for components like the pâté and chili sauce. The restaurant operates on a walk-in-only basis, leading to lines of customers waiting outside, as shown at 05:55 PM.

Context: The video profiles Chef Nhu Ton, owner and executive chef of the Vietnamese restaurant Bánh Anh Em in New York City, focusing on the dedication and detailed craftsmanship she applies to making traditional Vietnamese dishes, particularly their Bánh Mì sandwich, from scratch. The narrative follows a timeline of her day, demonstrating the labor-intensive preparation of key ingredients like bread, crispy pork, pâté, and fermented chili sauce, highlighting the fusion of traditional Vietnamese techniques with modern execution.